samuel90 Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I need to cycle my tank and have been doing some research to find some efficient ways to do it. I heard that stocking it with plants for 14 days (or until roots grow more) is a good way and you can add your fish. I also read about Nutrafin Cycle.... many people say its bogus fraud. So my 50gal tank, has had its first dose of Nutrafin Cycle, and I have planted 13 decent size plants into it. How long till I can add my 7 Electric yellows? Also any cycling tips? I way to excited and impatient for the 4-8 week method. Are you crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I'm sure you can find lots of stuff on here about the different ways but if you updated your location someone near by may be able to seed your filter with some gunk. I think you're muddled up with cycling and the "Walstad" method ala enough plants to convert the fish waste into plant fertilizer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Your electric yellow will eat the plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Cycling tip: Be Patient, let it do its thing in it's own time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Cycling tip: Be Patient, let it do its thing in it's own time. Yes but doing its own thing.... it just has water, aragonite pebbles and plants in it. Will it still do the whole nitrate thing just by leaving the filter on? Or should I be adding something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 You need to feed it.Fish food, raw fish or prawn, muck from another filter system will will all help that. The time it takes will all be dependent on the amount of water you have, the filtration properties and how much you feed the water. Mine took about two weeks, to show "safe" readings, but I am not planning on adding fish for another week and then in small amounts. I.E 5 tetras a week for the next 4 or so weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 You need to feed it.Fish food, raw fish or prawn, muck from another filter system will will all help that. The time it takes will all be dependent on the amount of water you have, the filtration properties and how much you feed the water. Mine took about two weeks, to show "safe" readings, but I am not planning on adding fish for another week and then in small amounts. I.E 5 tetras a week for the next 4 or so weeks. OH ok. SO I have a 185 L, with an Aqua One 1200 Filter. So I add how much food?? Say 1 t-spoon a day? Or just once? Thank you so much for being so helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?p=1868 Give this a good read, it is very helpful and comes from the main part of this web site. I do not know an exact amount, I just poored some old stuff in that none of my fish eat, and repeated every other day or whenever I remembered. I am sure there is a calculation on exactly what to add, but I do not know what it is sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 If you already have electric yellows in another tank that is running and cycled why not transfer the media (or most of the media so you leave your other tank cycled) and the fish at the same time? The media you already have will be cycled and transferring that will get the other filter up and running, plus 7 electric yellows aren't going to make much of a bio load in a 185L tank. It is very important to think about cycling with tanks but as soon as you have one up and running there is no real need to start from fresh with all the methods described above. Even when you are first starting out it is far better to beg borrow or steal media from local fish keepers to get your tanks started and just build up on fish gradually over a period of time to avoid any spikes or tank crashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 If you already have electric yellows in another tank that is running and cycled why not transfer the media (or most of the media so you leave your other tank cycled) and the fish at the same time? The media you already have will be cycled and transferring that will get the other filter up and running, plus 7 electric yellows aren't going to make much of a bio load in a 185L tank. It is very important to think about cycling with tanks but as soon as you have one up and running there is no real need to start from fresh with all the methods described above. Even when you are first starting out it is far better to beg borrow or steal media from local fish keepers to get your tanks started and just build up on fish gradually over a period of time to avoid any spikes or tank crashes. Fantastic reply! Yes I put about a dozen noodles in the filter, with about 2 litres of dirty water, and when i rinsed all the new media, I did it with tank water. So I should be able to put my 7 yellows in now? YAY HOW EXCITING. Is there any bonus to be adding a capful of nutrafin cycle a day for a week or so? Just to be on the safe side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nudge Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I would think you would need to add more than 12 noodles into your filter, transfer all the media from your existing filter to the cf1200 to kick start your cycle if you have all ready transferred your yellows across to the new tank then make sure you test the ammonia nitrite and nitrates daily. a group of yellows in a new tank with only 12 noodles in a cf1200 might be a bit to much for it to cope with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samuel90 Posted October 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I would think you would need to add more than 12 noodles into your filter, transfer all the media from your existing filter to the cf1200 to kick start your cycle if you have all ready transferred your yellows across to the new tank then make sure you test the ammonia nitrite and nitrates daily. a group of yellows in a new tank with only 12 noodles in a cf1200 might be a bit to much for it to cope with. It has a million new noodles in, tomorrow I can put all the old ones in tho if you think that would be a better idea? What about adding the bottled bacteria's? Any good or a waste of $30? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 A million new noodles will contain zero bacteria, defintly add the old ones and if you can sourse some other currently used get them and put them in as well. I personaly do not like bacteria in a bottle and would rather do a seeded cycle, food cycle or if I have some small fish about and have the time to moniter it properly a fish in cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I wouldn't waste my time with the bacteria in a bottle, and I would also have transferred all or 90% (if you wanted to keep the little tank running) of the media to the bigger tank. It is hard to say if you have transferred enough, I usually don't transfer much and start off with a light stocking in a bigger tank (like you have) and I have no issues. Just feed lightly and monitor things, 7 yellows in a 185L tank is going to be a very small bioload. Regarding keeping the other tank running, unless the bacteria is being fed (ie fish or source of ammonia in the tank) it is supposed to die off. I have always left tanks running and empty with no issues so I think some bacteria survives, but I am very cautious and build up stock slowly in those tanks to make sure I don't crash the tank. The best way to do it would be to transfer all the media and then just grab a bit out when you want to use the little tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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